


Falling Slowly

by choimineul



Category: NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alpha!Daniel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Attempted Sexual Assault, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, HwanSung Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining, NielHwan Friendship, Omega Verse, Omega!Jaehwan, Promiscuous Minhyun, Scent Marking, Virginal Jaehwan, alpha!minhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-01-12 04:08:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18438725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/choimineul/pseuds/choimineul
Summary: There was only so much that Jaehwan could do about the unwanted crush and Minhyun's unnecessary & misplaced nagging, especially if it was all just biology. That his crazy dynamics with the older were just but leakages of their most base instinct. That it was nothing but the universal force of nature which dictated that alphas should find omegas... alluring (and vice versa) that causes all...this.also, where we all wait to see how many words it would take for omega!jaehwan and alpha!minhyun to come to their senses and stop being in denial dammitUPDATE: Bonus chapter (Rated [M]) already uploaded.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from a song of the same title:
> 
> _Falling slowly, eyes that know me_  
>  _And I can't go back_  
>  _Moods that take me and erase me_  
>  _And I'm painted black_  
>  _You have suffered enough_  
>  _And warred with yourself_  
>  _It's time that you won_  
>   
>  A/N: It's my first attempt at omegaverse/abo dynamics and I almost died at how difficult it was to write and finish this story. It's very... tricky. And complex.

Jaehwan took his first bite of lunch and warily swept his eyes across the Friday buzz inside the cafeteria.

It's almost been one whole week since his next-door neighbor Hwang Minhyun last paid him an unsolicited visit during lunchtime and although that should elicit a sigh of relief out of Jaehwan, it also felt... strange ~~ly empty~~.

And this seemingly extended absence (which was a first, by the way) made Jaehwan hope that this wasn't some calm before the storm because usually, it was once or twice a week at a little past noontime, that Minhyun would invite himself over at Jaehwan's table and be like an unwelcome, annoying, nagging aunt. And sometimes, luck isn't even on Jaehwan's side and he has to put up with the alpha and his all-too enticing scent for more times in a week than his patience could take.

Granted, they had been neighbors for almost the entire school year now, the two aren't really _close_ close. They were in this awkward middle ground grayish area that were equal parts frenemies, schoolmates, and neighbors. But in all fairness, it has all been pretty much harmless and tolerable for the most part, too.

But the younger wouldn't even be able to pinpoint when exactly their non-friendship and the lunchtime-gatecrashing started. And though he didn't care enough to trace back their history in a bloody detailed manner, Jaehwan was convinced that it was possibly that one night when he accidentally ruined Minhyun's chance of getting laid.

Not that the older ever seemed to struggle with getting himself a warm body to burn up his sheets with.

Hwang Minhyun was, and the guy probably _knew_ he was easy in the eyes, objectively speaking. If Jaehwan was to be completely honest, Minhyun looked like every unmated wolf's wet dream. He could even go as far as to admit that albeit he wanted Minhyun to leave him alone most times, he really does have a teenie tiny crush on the guy—one which he hoped to outgrow some time soon.

Jaehwan could still recall the first time he met his neighbor.

He was on his way back to his dorm when he noticed that someone was finally moving in next-door. About six huge boxes were scattered in the hallway and there was a tall stranger wearing a loose, sleeveless shirt; arms slightly glistening from sweat.

Jaehwan cleared his throat to catch the person's attention and the guy—an alpha, it looked and smelled like—who was bent over a box & about to pick it up, jumped in surprise.

Jaehwan watched with worry as the guy tripped over his own feet, and stumbled over the boxes, landing unceremoniously on his hip on the floor.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you," Jaehwan said hurriedly, eyes landing on this beautiful stranger whose eyes were alert, lips semi-parted, with cheeks, ears, and neck stained red from embarrassment.

_A clumsy, flustered alpha?_

_Unusual... but endearing_ , Jaehwan thought, as he let his eyes feast upon the other guy who seems to have been taken aback by his own small accident also. The soft & gentle aura that glowed around the other guy like a halo drew in the omega that Jaehwan was; and he can feel his wolf slowly gaining interest also. Which was a first.

Usually, his wolf—almost like some freak of nature—could remain seated even at such a close proximity to an alpha. But not with this one, it seemed.

His new neighbor sported a pair of fox-like eyes, prominent cheek bones, and a scent that reminded him of mint... and pine trees. But also dried leaves. Autumn. The former two overpowering the latter, but it's there and Jaehwan's tummy felt funny at how it gently tickled his nose.

He fought the urge to inhale deeply the strong, clean, earthy scent of the other guy and he was slightly taken aback because never has any alpha's scent affected him this way. It warmed him from the inside out, caressing him like the gently rays of sunrise. Hearths. Campfires. Also smelling like mornings, and hiking in the woods.

It was only at that exact moment did Jaehwan learn that his toenails can tingle, too. There was no doubt that this was, indeed, an alpha. The scent was so... enticing; that Jaehwan felt his palms grow sweaty. _Good lord._

Jaehwan noted that his new neighbor was taller than himself. He had a lean but well-built frame that was neatly and perfectly wrapped in fair, flawless skin; in contrast to Jaehwan who considered himself plain at most times. Although he was confident that he cleans up quite well. 

The omega's rather sweaty palms might have also itched to reach out to see if the guy’s arms or face felt as smooth as it looked.

He hovered over the alpha who was still on the floor; self-consciousness making him unsure as to whether it was alright to offer his hand to help the guy up, or not.

His new neighbor's scent filled the air—probably a reflex from the embarrassing situation—and he noticed that the guy was eyeing him with a mix curiosity and wariness also.

Jaehwan’s wolf was suddenly bristling; going all shy and small under the scrutiny of his new neighbor who as an alpha. But he, of course, tried to not let it show.

"I— I'm okay," the alpha stammered pushing himself up, dusting his pants off, and clapping his hands together to get rid of the dirt.

"Sorry about that," Jaehwan trailed off, trying to maintain a fair amount of eye contact, and suddenly remembering his manners. "I'm Kim Jaehwan by the way. I live right next door," he said, cocking his head towards the door to his dorm which was at the end of their side of the hallway. He hoped his voice and face did not betray any of the actual reaction that his entire system was having towards his new neighbor.

"Hwang Minhyun," the guy said, introducing himself, and looking at his own hands which were still a bit dirtied by the boxes and from falling on his butt. "I'd shake your hand but..."

"Yeah, no, it's totally fine. Do you need help?" Jaehwan asked, gesturing towards the boxes and the open door to Minhyun’s dorm.

The other guy looked at the boxes with a barely-there pout, as if he was considering taking Jaehwan up on the offer but not wanting to impose. Or maybe he was just wasn't keen on the idea after making a fool of himself in front of his neighbor. Not that Jaehwan held the small accident against Minhyun. It was his fault anyway for giving the guy a fright.

"I wouldn't want to trouble you," Minhyun said, sounding unsure.

"You won't," Jaehwan reassured him with a small smile, half-insisting on the offer because he knew how big of a hassle it was to move in and well... _because_. "Just knock on my door if you need a hand, really."

Minhyun nodded, and gave Jaehwan a tight smile which was the younger's cue to excuse himself.

Neither a knock nor a call for any help came to Jaehwan that night. _Bummer._

But that was about two years ago and clearly, it was somewhere further down the road that the warm fluttery feelings he had when he was around his neighbor at their first meeting, had morphed into this. Whatever term it was people coined for a weird combination of subdued attraction and overt annoyance.

Because it was also so irritating, really; that there was close to none that Minhyun seemed to be bad at, except minding his own business. (The infuriating guy wasn't beyond nagging Jaehwan about the pettiest of things—Jaehwan's taste in music, Jaehwan's hairstyle, Jaehwan's laundry schedule, Jaehwan's lunch, etc.) And oh, the guy had a weak chin and he was as unmated as Jaehwan. But these things don’t seem to stop more than half of the school population from wanting to get into Minhyun’s pants. Or, rather, letting Minhyun get in their pants.

Jaehwan could still remember seeing a girl one night, clinging onto Minhyun's arm as the younger male was about to enter his own dorm.

This sadly spelled another sleepless night for Jaehwan because the walls were thin and yeah, you get the picture.

Hearing Minhyun's grunts over the sound of his bedmate's own moans almost always kept Jaehwan from getting some decent sleep.

It was, for the most part, a disturbance that Jaehwan could definitely live without, but it was also an ugly reminder that Jaehwan was single and unmated as fuck. Well, Minhyun was, too, but he doesn't let that stop him from having his fun and damn, if Jaehwan wasn't green with envy. And jealousy. Of the countless omegas and betas who knew first-hand how good Minhyun was in bed.

To be completely honest, Jaehwan himself often wondered what sex—with an alpha, especially—would feel like. But he was old-fashioned and he actually wanted his first time to mean something; done with someone who means something to him.

Jaehwan didn't realize then that he was staring at the pair who were a tangle of limbs and were about to enter Minhyun's dorm, until the female omega raised an eyebrow at Jaehwan giving him a questioning look all the while Minhyun was kissing and sucking on her neck.

"Yes?" the female omega asked Jaehwan haughtily as she did nothing to stop Minhyun from basically devouring her.

Jaehwan panicked at having been caught staring. So as he swallowed back the bile rising up his throat from the unwelcome sight before him, he just blurted out what came to mind. "You're the third one this week," he told the girl. "Don't expect him to give you a call after he's done with you."

_That was the truth,_ Jaehwan appeased himself.

But it made Minhyun lift his head, panting, and staring right at Jaehwan who was now too intimidated to hold the gaze.

This gave the male omega no chance to decipher the look that Minhyun was giving him. Disbelief? Anger?

_Whatever._

And then right in front of Jaehwan, ~~poor~~ female omega gave Minhyun a look of inquisition and challenge, daring the alpha to refute Jaehwan's words and declare it false blah blah. Long story short, it ended up with Minhyun not getting laid that night.

And has the older always held that against Jaehwan?

Jaehwan wouldn't understand why, if that was the case. The guy could surely find a replacement at just the snap of his fingers.

Anyhow, Jaehwan really has long given up trying to recall when and why and how exactly they became like this. Ultimately, he just wanted two things: One, eat his lunch in peace everyday, without fear of Minhyun being around to nag and be his petty self. And two, get rid of this hopeless & helpless crush he has on the same guy.

But there's only so much that Jaehwan could do about the unwanted crush and Minhyun's unnecessary & misplaced nagging, especially if it was all just biology. That his crazy dynamics with the older were just but leakages of their most base instinct. That it was nothing but the universal force of nature which dictated that alphas should find omegas... alluring (and vice versa) that causes all... _this_.

Realistically speaking, that would be reaching, but it wasn't entirely impossible also. It was just science.

Jaehwan was almost certain he even saw Minhyun blush and his nostrils flare that one time they bumped into each other after the younger had just come from gym class, profusely sweating and probably reeking of his own scent. But, of course, Jaehwan could have just imagined it, too.

He honestly _did_ wish that he just imagined it, because it would be a bit of an insult if Minhyun was drawn only to his scent. That if Jaehwan wasn't an omega and if Minhyun wasn't an alpha predisposed to be drawn to the younger's scent, then there would be no reason at all for the older to hang around or be the least bit interested in the younger.

Not that Jaehwan was sure that the latter was the case. And not that Jaehwan liked the idea of Hwang Minhyun taking interest on him when there was an entire harem of betas and omegas alike, who would kill to catch the alpha's attention and who might start seeing Jaehwan as competition should that be the case.

"Oi, Kim Jaehwan. Eating lunch alone, I see?"

_Speak of the devil._

"And what is that you're eating?" Minhyun asked, looking down his nose on Jaehwan's food, his voice pulling the younger out of the unpleasant trip down memory lane.

Like clockwork, Jaehwan's wolf suddenly became enthused at the smell of mint and pine trees. _Dammit._

"Go away," Jaehwan snapped at the older, sounding less annoyed than he wanted to.

Unfortunately for Jaehwan, his neighbor has now made himself comfortable on the seat across him, crossed arms, stupid ~~breathtaking~~ grin and all.

"Not even a 'hello' or 'good afternoon'?" Minhyun asked dramatically, faking a gasp combined with a hand clutched to his heart.

Jaehwan spared him a long unconvinced stare that lasted two heartbeats, not giving Minhyun the time of day. "What do you want?" he sighed. He felt bad that his neighbor was on the receiving end of his mood but he couldn't help it either.

It could really get sad when you're an unmated omega. Who had a secret crush on your neighbor who, by the way, has probably slept with more people than all his fingers (and toes) could count. And who was as interested in you as you are in Advanced Calculus.

Oblivious to the internal conflict Jaehwan was experiencing right at that moment, the older looked around them carefully as if he had some huge secret he was about to tell Jaehwan, and made sure that no one else was within earshot.

This made the younger pause mid-chew to raise an eyebrow at Minhyun with curiosity. He wondered what the older had up his sleeve today.

The older leaned on his elbows and beckoned with his hand for Jaehwan to move closer and naturally, the male omega began feeling his wolf grow listless at being so close to Minhyun and his impossibly handsome face. It was an unpleasant reminder that their wolves didn't care for human consonances (or lack thereof).

"You spent your heat alone again, Kim Jaehwan," the alpha whispered a second before he leaned back on his seat.

And Jaehwan wanted the ground to open up to swallow him whole when he saw the look that Minhyun was wearing on his face. It told him that the alpha knew that dropping this huge ass bomb gave him the upper hand here.

And he would be correct.

Before the younger could answer, Minhyun condescendingly added, "I don't know why you never take meds for those."

And still in shock, the only thing Jaehwan could feel was his face warming up in embarrassment. His wolf was offended; now restless for an entirely different reason as something akin to humiliation and dread settled deep in his gut. He had to bite back a whine that formed in his throat.

There were indeed suppressants and other medications that an adult omega like him could have easily gotten his hands on to help him with his heat cycles but an omega spending his heat alone was not that rare of an occurrence either. Besides, his heats hit him very irregularly and there has also been an alarming increase in the number of omegas experiencing side-effects from these suppressants.

But, okay, fine. It was still embarrassing enough to be caught spending your heat alone, and he totally didn't need Minhyun to let him know that that he, of all people, heard. Again.

Jaehwan could admit that spending your heat alone was all sorts of shameful, sad, and painful; your body craving an alpha's touch, an alpha's strength, an alpha's scent, an alpha's warmth so badly that it physically hurt. But Jaehwan didn't need the reminder. Especially not from Minhyun.

So heaven have mercy, but Jaehwan wanted to slap that smug look off of Minhyun's face. God, does he really have a crush on this guy? Because he really can get under Jaehwan's skin sometimes.

"And me spending my heat alone concerns you how, again?" Jaehwan asked, masking the humiliation with indignation, and trying to appear as if his dignity hadn't been just dragged down (and harshly at that) a notch or two.

"Uh," Minhyun gave the younger a blank look. "I live right next door...? And I really don't appreciate hearing your... torment," he said rolling his eyes and then a shoulder, as if the answer was so obvious.

The gesture gave the alpha a confident and almost cocky air around him which Jaehwan was helpless to ignore.

But Jaehwan remembered to defend himself, "I'm an omega and it is in my nature. We go into heat." Then he took it a bit further and added, "Besides, I never go into heat for more than once a month. You, sir, bring home a different omega almost every night. Do you hear me complaining about how loud you usually are?"

Jaehwan had thought his retort would silence the older but the look on Minhyun's face told him otherwise. "Jealous?" the alpha teased, raising an eyebrow at the younger. "You could always spend your next heat with me, you know?"

He was met with silence from the younger's end as the omega felt agony clawing at his insides over his failure to hide both his blush at the off-handed proposition, and hide also the fact that Minhyun has successfully ruffled his feathers. Or fur. Whatever.

So the younger did what he deemed wisest and safest.

He gathered his things, pushed himself away and up from the table, then started walking out the cafeteria. But before he crossed the threshold to the hallways, he paused in his tracks, and threw Minhyun a look of disbelief over his shoulder. And with a deflated sigh that went in contrast to his cheeks that were dusted pink, Jaehwan went out of the older's line of sight.

Then as if on cue, the school bell rang.

=====

Jaehwan was taking the last flight of stairs to his dorm's floor when Minhyun's scent hit him, making him freeze for a second. 

He assumed that Minhyun was probably waiting by his door with some sort of confrontation or something like that, because the agitation & anxiety were spread thick over the alpha's usual scent. The smell of autumn that's usually diluted in mint & pine trees, now strong & heavy in the air, making the air crackle with both tension & anticipation. It gave Jaehwan an unsettled, yet slight eagerness at the bottom of his gut.

Minhyun's scent always made him feel weird things.

He didn't know how it was possible for him to even discern the other's mood sometimes, since he's never really sensed others' state as accurately as he had with Minhyun a handful of times before, just by his scent or pheromones.

He could remember that one time Minhyun situated himself across the cafeteria table as per usual. And out of nowhere, he was hit with a sudden sense that something was off. He couldn't tell at first what it was, but as Minhyun launched into his usual nagging, Jaehwan's senses became heightened.

He almost couldn't hear and understand anything that the alpha was blabbering about because suddenly, it became all about figuring out what was wrong. Why was his wolf troubled; almost worried? Over what?

Jaehwan sneaked in a nice, long inhale of Minhyun's scent and finally noticed that the alpha's scent was different. No, actually, the omega almost couldn't smell Minhyun's scent. Then as he examined further, Jaehwan noted that Minhyun's usually pink lips were a tad paler than usual; that a film of sweat was glazed over the top of the older's upper lip. That there was a different level and kind of heat that he could feel the alpha radiating.

_Was he unwell?_

And before Jaehwan himself realized what he was doing, he was already reaching out to lay his palm on the alpha's forehead which was burning. He was sick, alright. That temperature was abnormal.

He saw how Minhyun's eyes widened a fraction and how he's stopped talking but...

"You're sick..." Jaehwan mechanically pointed out, voice as monotonous as it can get.

Minhyun cleared his throat and weakly slapped Jaehwan's hand away before he declared, "No, I'm not. I exercise regularly..."

_And almost every night, too,_ Jaehwan wanted to cheekily add but he settled with a shrug as he drew his hand away and went back to eating. Besides, he wasn't in any position to instruct the older to take some rest or take care of himself more, either.

His wolf really was just sensitive—almost too sensitive—when it comes to Minhyun. Decoding his thoughts, deciphering his mood, and uncovering the alpha's motives, have always been fun games that the omega in Jaehwan enjoyed too much. Sometimes, it even acclimatizes and adapts to Minhyun's current temper.

It was as intriguing as it was exhilarating.

"I know you're there," Minhyun's voice rang out, cutting off Jaehwan's thoughts. Obviously, he, too, caught the other's scent before they even entered each other's line of sight.

Jaehwan rounded the corner, turning to his hallway and indeed, there was his neighbor in his pyjamas & hoodie-wearing glory, looking the most laid back and domestic that Jaehwan's ever saw him, and resting against the wall.

"I could smell your anxiety all the way from here, you know?" Minhyun smirked.

"As if I'm the only one who's anxious," the younger scoffed as he walked towards where Minhyun was blocking the entrance to his dorm.

"Touchè."

Their words naturally lulled into nothing as they both took their time to gauge each other's mood and examine their own.

Jaehwan bit on the corner of his lip, unsure how to proceed. He really could never get used to being so physically close to the only alpha that has ever elicited such a primal but preternatural reaction from the omega in him.

Minhyun sighed audibly, looking at the younger from beneath his eyelashes. "Look," the alpha began, "About earlier..."

_Here it comes._

The younger realized where this was headed. And he was not the least bit surprised because he knew in his heart of hearts—his wolf had always believed—that Minhyun wasn't really a bad person. So he just kept his eyes on the small ducks dotting Minhyun's dark blue pyjamas as he waited for the apology that was clearly hanging on the other's tongue, if the uncertainty & remorse in the older's voice were anything to go by.

"That was such a dick move."

Jaehwan dared lift his eyes and saw that Minhyun himself had his head hung low. He kept quiet and let the older continue by not saying anything.

But Minhyun pushed away from the wall, standing a bit too close for Jaehwan's comfort, with hands in the pockets of his hoodie and said, "I'm really sorry, Kim Jaehwan. And I hope this apology covers everything I might have said or done that has in any way offended you or hurt you before or..."

Minhyun paused for a moment, swallowing a huge ball of saliva as if the apology spent so much of the courage he mustered prior this. Yet he proceeded to let the words come tumbling out of his lips without much thought, it seemed to Jaehwan. "It's really none of my business how you choose to spend your heat nor is it my intention to make fun of you for it. And I don't really think it's lame or you're lame, it's just really fun teasing you because you never really get mad at me for real but I know I pushed it this time. And I also didn't mean to be inappropriate or disrespectful when I said you could spend your next heat with me. I know you wouldn't take me up on it and I hope you took it as nothing but a joke but I still don't know why you don't take suppressants and—"

"And you're rambling," Jaehwan pointed out, cutting Minhyun off, as he let one corner of his lips be pulled upwards into a playful smirk.

Minhyun didn't speak during the extended pause that stretched between them. Neither did Jaehwan.

The older just stood there with mouth agape, not able to fully grasp how Jaehwan could be so... chill about all this. Shouldn't he be asking Minhyun to stay away forever or something along those lines? _Why was he so... goddamn nice? And lovely?_

The alpha took in Jaehwan, his forgiveness, those eyes that were full of mirth, and the fist that was over the omega's lips in an attempt to cover up his giggles.

The omega was laughing at him.

And Minhyun was sucker punched, slapped, and bulldozed with all these warm, fluttery feelings that he didn't know where to put or what to do with. He could not believe the omega could just accept his apology like that, if that was what this display of playfulness translated to. Because Minhyun surely cannot detect any animosity from the omega.

"What was that? About five words per second? That's some record. What, were you some rapper in your previous life?" Jaehwan joked.

"Brat," Minhyun said with zero venom and a pinch of affection. It was all he could say as tension dissolved from his shoulders and grew inside his chest. Somewhere around where his heart was supposed to be located.

"I know," Jaehwan said, laughing it all off. "Is Hwang Minhyun saying sorry to me? Are we finally calling a truce?"

"Nah," Minhyun said joining in on the younger's laughter & banter, "I'm just tired of being mean to you but don't think too highly of yourself. I just feel like trying out being a reliable hyung now."

Jaehwan playfully shook his head and answered back with a light-hearted, "Is that what you are now? A hyung?"

"Haven't I always been?" Minhyun asked, barking in laughter at the silly question.

Jaehwan blinked rapidly as he realized that this was the first time he saw the alpha smile, much less laugh. And he wasn't prepared for the full force that were Minhyun's crescent laughing eyes. Now _that_ could really force the sun to retirement. "You're Minhyun sunbae inside my head but—"

"But nothing," Minhyun cut him off, "It's _Minhyun hyung_ for you now."

"Minhyun hyung..." Jaehwan tested the words on his tongue.

And he could taste the promise of better days ahead, of peaceful lunchtimes, and good-natured jesting... _and so much more_.

"Yep, that's me, _Jaehwan-ah_."

=====

Monday the following week found Jaehwan on the phone with his friend Jisung, a beta who was in Minhyun's year, while the hallways were slowly clearing of students.

The male omega was taking his sweet time walking to his next class with his phone sandwiched between his right ear and his right shoulder; his hands occupied by the books he borrowed from the library. They were for this one finals paper he had to burn the night oil for later.

It had been weeks since his relationship with his neighbor took a turn for the good, but it was only now that he had a chance to update his close friend about... well, life, in general.

"But seriously," Jisung said from the other end of the line, "I can always ask Niel to tell Minhyun off if the guy oversteps or overlooks this so-called truce. You know how much Niel adores you."

Daniel was Jisung's younger brother who was in the same year as Jaehwan, and was an alpha. He was in the football team and had, naturally, the body of an athlete—wide shoulders, muscular arms, narrow waist, and long legs. Anyone would say he looked like he could squash anyone to death and they wouldn't be wrong.

Most people needed only to take one gander at the guy's physique and paired with the strong scent of peaches that he oozed, almost everyone would recognize the alpha that Daniel was, the second they meet him. But same guy also had the sweetest smile—that kind which wrinkled the corners of his eyes—and the cutest toothy grin Jaehwan has ever seen.

Daniel was dear to Jaehwan, like a brother, having been childhood friends, so the omega didn't want Daniel to get into trouble should Minhyun fall back into his old patterns.

Besides, it wasn't as if he was totally helpless. He could handle Minhyun. (And he most certainly could handle himself around Minhyun also. Sort of.)

Exhibit A. Their first time to bump into each other post-truce. It was in the school grounds and the omega had just finished playing soccer with some of his fellow juniors.

"Fancy seeing you outside the cafeteria, Minhyun sunbae," Jaehwan said in between his pants which he got from jogging over to where he saw Minhyun seated in a wooden bench under the shade of a tree.

Minhyun partially closed the book he was reading, using a finger to mark the page he was in. "I believe I told you it's _Minhyun hyung_ for you, Jaehwan-ah," the alpha said, clicking his tongue in mock disappointment.

Jaehwan hunched over and fiddled with his socks, "Yeah, well, let me get used to it gradually, _hyung_."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Minhyun laughed, reaching over to tenderly muss up Jaehwan's hair, making the younger blink in surprise.

Jaehwan wanted to make a fuss over it; scold Minhyun for being so careless with his gestures, and point out that his fanclub might start coming after him if they ever saw, but the older has already switched his attention back to his book, as if what he'd done was no big deal.

_Maybe to him, it wasn't,_ the realization hit Jaehwan. _So why should it be a big deal to me?_

"What are you still doing here? Your hair is sticky with sweat and you stink. Go take a shower," Minhyun said teasingly, without taking his eyes off of his book.

"Bully," Jaehwan muttered as he felt his cheeks burning. _Yeah, it was time to go._ He wouldn't want Minhyun to have something else to tease him about. Like how red his cheeks have become.

Jaehwan could admit that he could never be as relaxed and cool as he wanted to be around Minhyun but who could blame him, really? He's been irrationally attracted to the guy for too long.

But still, he really didn't feel the need to accept Jisung's offer despite knowing that Daniel would be all too willing to step in. if Jaehwan so much as asked.

So, snapping back to his conversation with the beta, Jaehwan replied, "I know, hyung," prolonging the vowel sound of that last word. "But I still wouldn't want Daniel to get in a fight if ever Minhyun hyung crosses the line again or if he stops honoring the terms of our... neighborly treaty."

Jaehwan heard Jisung sigh before his phone once again buzzed with the older's voice, "All I'm saying is that Niel probably wouldn't mind. You know that kid; he's highkey protective of the betas and omegas close to him."

Jaehwan pouted and was about to agree with Jisung's words when he suddenly felt his hackles rise.

Experience and books taught him that if such a thing occurred without an apparent trigger, then something was wrong. Something which his wolf wanted—no, needed to meddle with.

Warning bells went off inside his head.

_Danger. Danger. Danger._

It was followed by a high-pitched noise that started ringing in Jaehwan's ears, drowning out the voice of Jisung who was still on the line, enumerating the pros of letting Daniel know about Jaehwan's situation with Minhyun.

And all the while, Jaehwan's heart was beating wildly inside his chest as he felt a fresh dose of adrenaline coursing through his veins and as he tuned all his senses to locate the threat that his wolf seems to have detected.

He remembered for a second that Jisung was still on the line so he mumbled a quick & unapologetic, "Hyung, there's something very wrong; I have to— I'll call you back." He hung up, and let his phone slide down to the crook of his elbow.

Following his instincts, he took the the hallway to his right; the one lined with lockers instead of classrooms, arms still full of books, and while goosebumps pricked his forearms and the back of his neck.

_Danger, danger, danger._

"Hello?" Jaehwan called out, his voice echoing and bouncing off of the walls of the hallways as he let his now-heightened senses lead his feet.

Jaehwan remembered that it must be about four minutes before his next class started but his wolf was too agitated to let this go. Besides, now that the hallways were devoid of any loitering students, he could easily track down whatever or wherever it was that his wolf was itching to bring him to. He could get this done and over with the soonest.

"Is anybody there?" Jaehwan's voice rang out.

"Hmph!"

He almost missed it but he could not be mistaken. That could only be the sound of a muffled scream. For help.

At hearing this, Jaehwan's vision tunneled, and he ran towards the direction of the sound, only vaguely registering that he has so carelessly tossed the books along with his phone aside.

He headed towards the infirmary at the end of the hallway; shedding his heavy backpack along the way. And with every step, a hint of scent—unfamiliar but powerful and borderline unpleasant—slowly assaulted his senses.

_Sandalwood. An alpha. An aroused alpha. And an omega. A scared omega. Mint... and honey. And fear. With resentment._

When he finally reached the infirmary, Jaehwan pushed the door open with his shoulder, sending it flying and slamming against the wall adjacent to it.

And then his eyes fell on their school nurse Hwang Sujin who was struggling to get up while being pinned on the clinic bed by some hulking guy whose alpha scent made Jaehwan's head spin.

The guy's hand was clamped over the lady's lips and she was thrashing on the bed, trying to free herself, but the lower half of the guy's body was keeping her from getting away.

Anyone who saw the scene would be able to easily tell what exactly was happening. And Jaehwan wouldn't stand for this. Not this. 

The male omega saw red and didn't hesitate shoving the alpha off of the lady, snarling, "Get off her!" as he did.

The alpha who seemed to be way older than Jaehwan and whom he has never seen or met before was pushed back a few steps away from the bed, taken aback, probably only realizing now that they had company. He shook his head once as if to regain focus before training his eyes on Jaehwan, hands balled into fists.

_Shit._

Jaehwan's wolf almost cowered in fear but he could not and would not back down, he resolved, as he gulped both in nervousness and preparation. But still, how could there be a way for an omega to duel with an alpha and win?

_Double shit._

The gravity of the situation began sinking in on the rational part of Jaehwan's brain.

"Oh, look," the alpha singsonged, looking Jaehwan up & down with eyes that undressed the male omega. "A sweet omega wanting to play hero here."

_Filthy, disgusting bastard._

Jaehwan backed up a few steps and chanced a glance at the school nurse who was slowly regaining her bearings and was pushing herself up the bed. But he knew it would take a couple of minutes before she could shake the cloudiness from the heady mixture of scents and pheromones, off of her system.

_"Hurry. I need some reinforcement here,"_ Jaehwan silently prayed as he looked back at the pissed off alpha who was now slowly headed his way, eyes unblinking and laser-focused on Jaehwan.

But Jaehwan stood his ground and readied himself. And since there were slim chances of him putting up a good fight, he only hoped Hwang Sujin could recover fast enough to get them some help before he was beaten into a pulp.

An evil and ugly smirk formed on the alpha's lips as he inhaled the air around him theatrically, breathing in Jaehwan's scent, and making him shiver.

Jaehwan was decided to, at least, try to give the guy hell. But much to his disappointment, his wolf was slowly being reduced to a whimpering mess at the presence of an alpha, all too ready & willing to submit and surrender.

It was Jaehwan's turn to shake some focus back into his head. He blindly reached for the wall behind him, backing up a few steps, and hating himself for his own weakness and despising himself for how helpless he was against his own nature.

In his periphery, he could make out the school nurse finally getting to her feet and stumbling towards the door, heading towards the hallway, probably to save herself and get some help for the both of them. And that was good enough for now.

"Please," Jaehwan whispered pleadingly, "Just let this go and no one has to ever hear or know about this."

"Silly little omega," the guy mockingly cooed, now chest to chest with Jaehwan whose eyes were rolling back to his head in its own accord at being so near an alpha who was reeking of strong, dominating, alpha scent. "Sujin got away so I hope you'll be willing to step in for her."

Fear crept in and tormented the younger male from the inside. If it weren't for the alpha sandwiching Jaehwan between the wall and his own body, the younger would have fallen into a crumpled heap on the floor, overwhelmed by the adrenaline pumping furiously through his veins on top of the scent and the andostrenone that the alpha was leaking of.

Jaehwan wanted to push, punch, and scream but he could only whimper, especially now that the alpha has grabbed his neck harshly.

"No," Jaehwan cried, physically & biologically unable to put up a fight. He already knew exactly what was about to happen.

The alpha then forcefully bared Jaehwan's neck with a firm grip and shamelessly scent marked him without consent. Just as Jaehwan foresaw. Just as he dreaded.

The omega gagged and let out another whimper from the lack of oxygen, combined with the desperate smell of the older guy. He helplessly tried to pry off the other's fingers, to no avail.

"Stop, please," Jaehwan begged. "I—" he struggled to form coherent words when so suddenly and out of nowhere, the smell of mint came back full-force, injecting Jaehwan with a solid sense of comfort and hope at the same time, driving away the nauseating stench of this sick alpha.

Jaehwan prayed inside his head that Hwang Sujin called for help and was not stupid enough to go back alone. _Please, let help come._

His vision had just started to blur and go dim, but he registered how the fingers that were pressed firmly against his air passageways a second ago, were no more. Gone also was the body pressed up against his and holding him against the wall.

Jaehwan's knees finally gave in and he collapsed on the floor like a rag doll, limbs not functioning, and too weak to try to make sense of what was happening around him.

He felt someone hoist him up with arms under his armpits as he gasped loudly for air, coughing and sputtering, letting oxygen back in his lungs. He didn't have to turn around to know that it was Hwang Sujin. He knew by the smell.

"Up we go, boy," Sujin mumbled as Jaehwan brought a weak hand up to his own neck.

Jaehwan hazily noted the sound of male grunts, curses being spat out left & right, and of flesh hitting flesh reverberating around the four walls of the infirmary as he tried to stand up on his own. And failed.

And the last thing he remembered before everything went black, was the familiar scent of pine trees wrapping around him like a welcome blanket of warmth. Campfires. Mornings.

=====

"So," Sujin started, as she opened the first aid kit and set it beside her foot. "Care tell me about the boy?" Her words and her tone carried loads of meaning & assumption.

Minhyun paused from examining the wounds on his knuckles and gave his sister a weird look. "What do you mean?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"I mean," Sujin said, gently reaching for Minhyun's right hand to apply some medication on the wounds, "I've never seen you as angry as you were when you realized that the 'boy' I was referring to... was him." She gestured towards Jaehwan who was still unconscious, but was breathing evenly, laying down on the bed a few feet away from where they were seated.

Minhyun will give it to his older sister. She really was observant.

Of course, he was greatly troubled when her sister excused him from his class, all harried, clothes & hair disheveled, eyes wild. She need not say anything else because Minhyun had already detected Jo Youngjae's scent on his sister and that was all it took for Minhyun to deduce that her ex-boyfriend has successfully tracked her down, and was once again causing some trouble.

But Minhyun didn't really count on the fury that burned within him, when he stepped in the infirmary and realized that when his sister said, "An omega—a boy came to my rescue but I'm afraid Youngjae will hurt him, too," she was actually referring to none other than Kim Jaehwan. He was livid, especially when he realized Youngjae has scent marked his neighbor.

There wasn't any calming down he could do to his wolf at the thought that someone dared not only touch his sister, but lay a finger and stake a claim on Jaehwan also.

Minhyun was blindsided by this sudden possessivenes and strong protectiveness of Jaehwan, but he didn't want to think much of it. He has long given up trying to explain and make more out of the fact that his wolf had always been especially drawn to, and fond of Jaehwan. Over every other unmated omega he knew or has taken to bed.

The first time Jaehwan had ever come a handful of feet close to Minhyun, Jaehwan's scent enamored him; called out to him like a siren. It filled his senses, like some sort of addicition. He couldn't seem to get enough of it. He always sought it. Craved it. Especially on his ruts. _God._

It didn't even matter that he never really quite successfully put his finger on what Jaehwan smelled like.

Jaehwan was fragrant; scent fresh, soft and innocent. He smelled of bliss, baby's breaths & daffodils, of oblivion & sleepiness. Green pastures. A prairie in spring flooded with an assortment of full-blooms. A clearing in the heart of some rainforest.

The omega's scent always soothed him and calmed him down. His guilty pleasure. There would be times he'll seek out Jaehwan just because he was in a bad mood and he knew the omega's scent could work some magic in him.

And he was physically attracted to him... and more.

Everytime he was around Jaehwan, Minhyun had to pretend as if the omega's soft fluffy cheeks, droopy eyes, and bow-shaped lips all went unnoticed. They weren't—aren't. The younger may not have a face that would stand out in a crowd but Minhyun sought him. All of him. His soft brown eyes, his subtle smile. Sought him like a lost sailor looking for land; a sinner looking for forgiveness and freedom from guilt & shame.

But Jaehwan was wholesome... and nice. Too nice that Minhyun couldn't tell where the heaviness and seriousness of his attraction could fit. He did not want to suck out the sunshine and the life out of the younger by giving in to his own wolf's base desire to claim Jaehwan.

Jaehwan's entire being screamed, Virgin. Unmated. Pure. Untouched. Reserved for him. _Okay, scratch that last one._

Jaehwan even spends all his heat cycles alone religiously. Without suppressants.

Minhyun doesn't know the hell why but he would hear Jaehwan's pained moans, desperate whimpers, and helpless whining whenever the younger went into heat. And every single damn time, felt like torture to him also.

Whenever Jaehwan was in heat, Minhyun would fear that his self-control will snap and that his wolf will completely take over because Jaehwan's sweet scent and omega pheromones would always seep through the walls, and float into Minhyun's dorm.

But Minhyun would endure it every single time, and would make it a point to be at his own dorm whenever Jaehwan spent his heat alone. For two reasons. One, was to make sure that Jaehwan would make it through his heat. And two, was to make sure Jaehwan would make it through his heat _alone_. It didn't matter that it was almost as harsh a torture for Minhyun as it probably was for Jaehwan.

The scent and the pheromones of an omega in heat could make any nearby unmated alpha sensitive to it, and that made Minhyun wish he wasn't an alpha or that Jaehwan (if he will insist to spend his heat alone) will spend his heat elsewhere. Somewhere safer and farther away from the hundreds of unmated alphas in the campus.

One time, Minhyun caught the scent of another alpha coming too close to his and Jaehwan's side of the hallway. Closer than was safe. So he rushed outside to his doorstep and found a youngin who was probably in Jaehwan's year, mindlessly following the trail of scent to Jaehwan's dorm.

And he had to do something. Minhyun caught the boy by the collar and asserted his seniority ~~and unofficial claim on Jaehwan~~ with a staredown and a gritted, "If you know what's good for you, you will turn around and leave the omega alone."

The younger alpha stood his ground for several seconds before conceding, huffing brusquely, and turning on his heel defiantly; probably convinced by the threat in Minhyun's tone and how his eyes had gone yellow in anger (from the thought of another alpha getting Jaehwan through his heat).

Countless times, Minhyun himself almost made it to his door, about to barge in Jaehwan's dorm to offer help in easing the pain to turn it into pleasure. But Minhyun didn't want to defile Jaehwan that way. He wasn't some low life like Jo Youngjae who used being an alpha to his advantage.

An omega in heat would be vulnerable and unguarded, and Minhyun knew he only had to be within a few feet from Jaehwan for the younger to throw himself at him and beg him to do what any omega in heat would need any alpha to do.

Do it. Do him.

But Minhyun knew Jaehwan deserved better. Better than just a heat-driven, pheromone-charged sex. Better than him. Better than Minhyun showing a motive when the younger was in heat, nonetheless.

Yet he could still remember how the last time Jaehwan went into heat was the worst, by far.

Jaehwan was especially loud and his pain seemed so especially grave the last time that Minhyun could only lie in his bed naked, sweating, and trembling from the sounds that Jaehwan made, plus the sweet omega scent that the rest of their floor could also probably catch a whiff of.

It got Minhyun in a rut and he wanted so badly to touch himself and take the edge off, but whenever he did so much as bring his hand under the sheets and towards his crotch, his wolf would protest.

In his rut, his wolf only wanted Jaehwan. _He_  only wanted Jaehwan.

And it has always been this way, and Minhyun could not believe that his two years younger self thought that appeasing his wolf by getting himself a dose of Jaehwan's scent every now and then during lunchtime, would be enough.

And Minhyun would be lying if he said he didn't mourn over the fact that, pre-apology & pre-truce, he was just the pesky, nosy neigbor to Jaehwan.

And now... How could he continue growing closer to Jaehwan now that they were properly friends, and not end up wanting more than that? And he wasn't certain if he was ready for that. If he will ever be. If he was even made for that— commitment. Mating.

He only knew sex; the no strings attached, just for the night, zero feelings involved kind of sex.

Jaehwan needed (and probably wanted) more than that. And Minhyun wanted Jaehwan to have more than that. It didn't matter if life or destiny or Whoever was up there, decides that some other alpha was destined to give Jaehwan that.

An unprecedented stinging pain shot Minhyun in the chest at that possibility just as Sujin gave Minhyun's arm a gentle pat to let him know that she was finished with that one, before reaching out for his other hand.

"We're neighbors," Minhyun told her sister, while he kept his eyes on the steady rise and fall of Jaehwan's chest. "And he's just a hoobae."

It wasn't a lie. But it didn't skip Minhyun's notice that that truth suddenly tasted so wrong on his tongue.

"Okay," Sujin shrugged in reply, not believing Minhyun entirely, "If you say so, I—"

Her words died on her lips when the door of the infirmary swung open, and a young male alpha stepped in, smelling strongly of peaches. The blonde guy looked tense and ready to fight, until his eyes fell on Jaehwan who was still peacefully sleeping on the bed.

Minhyun didn't like the way the younger guy's eyes basically sparkled when they landed on Jaehwan. _Who was this guy?_

The scent told Minhyun that it was another alpha but what relationship or connection he had with Jaehwan, Minhyun didn't really know. He wasn't keen on knowing, either.

The newcomer seemed to not have noticed that the siblings were in the room as he hurriedly fished his phone from his pocket, and dialed something quickly, still standing in the doorway. "Jisungie hyung, it's me. I found him. In the infirmary. I'll call you again later," he muttered onto the phone before ending the call.

Minhyun's watchful eyes examined the guy who still was oblivious to the company.

The other alpha has let out a huge sigh of relief despite his forehead still being wrinkled with minimal worry. But the familiarity that was on the other alpha's eyes didn't sit well with Minhyun. At all. 

"Hi," Sujin spoke up, probably sensing the shift in her brother's mood.

She made her own and Minhyun's presence known to the younger alpha. "Can I help you?"

The young man's eyes widened, only now realizing that he had an audience. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize—" he hurriedly explained, bowing a couple of times. Then he launched to his account of what his business there was; "My hyung said they were on the phone when Jjaeni suddenly hung up on him and said that something was wrong and Jisungie hyung was afraid Jjaeni would get himself in trouble like he often does so he asked me to track down his scent but it took me a while because I didn't know where to start but I finally found him and he seems okay," he explained quickly in one breath, eyes unfocused and hands flailing around him. "Is he okay?"

Sujin thought the boy was adorable, and she felt the genuine concern he has over the same boy that her brother seemed to be greatly protective of as well. This Kim Jaehwan boy was getting more and more interesting by the second.

She was about to answer the boy's question when she heard the gentle sound of rustling sheets behind her.

*

Jaehwan was slowly coming to when he recognized Daniel's familiar voice instantly. His friend was talking to someone, sounding hurried and guilt-ridden but Jaehwan couldn't make out what exactly Daniel was saying.

The side of his head was throbbing so he tried to push himself up on his elbows to a seated position, and pry his eyes open.

And then he was greeted with three familiar faces, all looking at him with different expressions.

Standing nearest to him was Hwang Sujin, the school nurse, who had a soft smile on her face and was already walking towards him.

Behind her and nearer the door was Daniel, his friend, who looked exhausted but was smiling at him from ear to ear.

And then there was Hwang Minhyun, seated in a chair near the corner of the room. He was watching Jaehwan with eyes that seemed to tell him and ask him too many things all at once.

It was at this moment that Jaehwan gained recollection of all the events that transpired prior to him losing consciousness. It all came crashing down on him as he lost himself in Minhyun's unblinking eyes which had his own captive. Mesmerizing. Comforting. Wondering.

He slowly but successfully connected all the relevant dots together—the connection between his neighbor and the school nurse; Hwang Sujin standing before him unharmed; and the smell of pine trees Jaehwan remembered catching a whiff of, before he passed out.

"Jjaeni!" Daniel wrapped his arms around Jaehwan's frame, shattering what almost felt like a moment between the two neighbors. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened? Jisungie hyung and I were so worried." Daniel's voice was tainted with worry. "Wait— You smell... funky," he noted before he pulled away, holding Jaehwan at arm's length with his face contorted. "Who scent marked you?!"

A low snarl was heard from the far side of the room where Minhyun was still seated. "Jo Youngjae."

"An abusive ex-boyfriend of mine," Sujin added with a troubled sigh, pulling a chair beside Jaehwan's bed to sit on.

It was only then that the strong scent of sandalwood registered, reminding Jaehwan that he was scent marked by the other alpha, making his stomach churn. It wasn't because the smell was unpleasant; it was the reminder of that smell that made him want to throw up.

"What you did earlier was really brave," Sujin said, laying a soft hand on top of Jaehwan's, "And I will be eternally grateful but be smarter next time, okay? We're lucky we have Minhyun."

Jaehwan nodded mindlessly, feeling Minhyun's hot gaze on his face. But he busied himself with asking how was it that Sujin appears to have recovered from what happened already. He didn't want to think that what he witnessed earlier might not have been the first time that Sujin had to experience that. Hence, the quick bounce-back.

And Jaehwan slowly and finally let his eyes stray towards the corner where Minhyun was seated, and was alternating between twiddling his thumbs and cracking his knuckles. The younger wondered if there were any battles that Minhyun could only fight behind closed doors, too, just like his sister. Jaehwan wished not. And he doesn't know why.

"Wait, hold up! What exactly happened?!" Daniel exclaimed, making Jaehwan realize that his friend doesn't know the context of everything that was happening.

Jaehwan sighed, making a mental note to tell Daniel everything later. He brought his fingertips up to massage his throbbing temple and promised his friend, "I'll explain later, Niel-ah. I promise. Just—"

"I think you need some more rest," Sujin cut in, taking on her role of being the school nurse.

Jaehwan thought that the distress must have been obvious in his face, and he felt sorry to be in the position he was in, making others worry.

He sneaked another sideways glance over at his neighbor, and thought that, at least, there was one person who wasn't fussing over him and worrying as if he was made of glass, Jaehwan thought bitterly.

Minhyun was exuding a dark, brooding aura. Maybe he was still riled up from what happened tohis sister. And Jaehwan had no business subconsciously hoping that Minhyun was worried about him, too.

"We'll make ourselves scarce," Sujin said, rising from her seat, and smoothing her hand down her skirt. "Right, boys?" she raised an eyebrow at both Minhyun and Daniel, implicitly asking the two alphas to give Jaehwan some time to rest.

Jaehwan saw his friend catch on the school nurse's request.

"Okay," Daniel huffed, "But I'll come by to bring you home later. Take it easy, Jjaeni. You look awful."

Jaehwan gave his friend a weak smile and a "Yeah, I'll see you later, Niel-ah..."

Minhyun seems to have not heard because he hasn't moved from his seat.

"Minhyunnie?" Sujin called on his brother on her way to hold the door open. Jaehwan noted that her voice was now carrying a tone of warning.

"I'll be right outside," Minhyun said stiffly.

That made Jaehwan's wolf perk up but it seems like it also managed to make Daniel's hackles rise.

"Minhyun sunbae, you heard the lady," the younger alpha said. His tone seemed polite enough, but Jaehwan knew his friend well enough to know that there was some irritation that Daniel was trying to hold in.

Jaehwan was carefully contemplating how to douse the growing tension in the room when with the languid grace of a wolf, Minhyun rose to his full height and walked to stand right in front of Daniel. The male omega could only watch this with his heart beating wildly.

"Minhyun, please," Sujin both pleaded and warned, as both his brother's and Daniel's dominating pheromones were released, making both Jaehwan and herself uncomfortable.

"I said," Minhyun repeated now practically chest to chest with Daniel, "I will not take long. And I will be right outside."

Daniel didn't back down or retreat an inch. He was about to say something when something came over Jaehwan for him to say, "It's okay, Niel-ah. You can just come back here after your classes."

The amount of pheromones was getting too much and Jaehwan was once again feeling light-headed.

Daniel ground his molars, making the muscles in his jaw twitch, before giving Minhyun one long, hard look weighted with warning. It lasted for a couple of seconds before the younger alpha conceded with a half-hearted, "Fine."

And Jaehwan realized he was holding his breath only when he released it and let the tension dissolve from his shoulders.

"Call me if..." Daniel eyed Minhyun suspiciously. "Call me if you need anything," he told Jaehwan.

"I'll make sure he does," Minhyun gritted between his teeth.

Sujin, who was still holding the door open, was watching all this unfold with surprise, interest, and curiosity all at the same time. "Minhyunnie, Jaehwan needs rest. You better make it quick, ya hear me, punk?"

Minhyun gave a quick nod, stepping away from Daniel who turned to Jaehwan with worried eyes. "I'll see you later."


	2. Chapter 2

Minhyun found himself awkwardly standing in the middle of the room after his sister and the cocky younger alpha have finally left him with Jaehwan.

He had so many things he wanted to ask and tell Jaehwan without an audience but now that they were alone, he couldn't find his words. So when Jaehwan broke the silence, he was eternally grateful.

"Minhyun hyung..." Jaehwan called softly.

And Minhyun decided that being called by his name has never affected him the way it did when Jaehwan did it. He felt his ears burning and suddenly, the collar of his shirt started to feel a little too tight around his neck.

But he also noted how Jaehwan was still shaken and he quietly winced at the faint smell of it—the younger's fears and worries.

He turned towards Jaehwan and, for the first time today, really looked at the younger. The omega looked so vulnerable sitting up on the bed, and it was a stark reminder to Minhyun that both Sujin and Jaehwan were safe.

The anger, the fear, and the worry all came back, and this time, it filled Minhyun's with an overwhelming need to do something— _anything_ to make sure Youngjae gets nowhere near his sister or Jaehwan ever again. And then, there was also that huge ass question blinking like a neon flash sign inside Minhyun's head.

_Just what the actuall hell was Jaehwan thinking?!_

Omegas don't just go up against alphas unless they had a death wish.

What did the younger think? That he had a chance against an alpha? That he could play the hero? That he could just forget that he was an omega who any alpha could subdue with just the tiniest amount of pheromones?

"What the hell do you think would have happened if I didn't arrive when I did, huh?!" Minhyun barked, the words leaving his lips before he realized.

Jaehwan jumped; a deer caught in headlights. He felt his fight or flight response kick in. He had thought that they were going to talk about what happened like calm, civilized adults and that he would get the chance to thank Minhyun properly but well, he obviously thought wrong.

The older was raging mad. At him or at what, Jaehwan was unsure.

He let his eyes dart around the room to trace his escape route, after which he quickly threw the sheets aside and didn't bother looking for or wearing his shoes. He was confused and scared and he realized he didn't have the strength to put up with any more.

"I can't do this right now," he said in exasperation and all honesty, pushing past Minhyun to stumble towards the door.

"Wait!" Minhyun called after him in panic. This was not how he wanted this to go.

Truth be told, he only wanted—no, he _needed_  to see and check for himself that Jaehwan was alright.

But the alpha in him has not yet fully gotten over the surge of protectiveness over Jaehwan. So he followed his reflex and whipped around to grab Jaehwan's wrist to stop him from leaving.

He couldn't help but notice how Jaehwan slighty cowered in fear, too. And he knew why. He was still an alpha after all.

So maybe it was his wolf's need to feel Jaehwan tucked safely within his embrace. Or maybe the more human need for a warm body in the middle of, or in the wake of a crisis, but Minhyun does not remember what came over him that with one strong tug, he had Jaehwan trapped in his arms, rendering the younger to stand stock-still.

He could choose to blame their nature for the inexplicable pull (no pun intended) that drew him to Jaehwan or not; but he was certain only of three things at this moment: His wolf didn't want Jaehwan to leave. It needed to be reminded that Jaehwan was safe. It wanted Jaehwan to know and trust that Minhyun meant no harm.

Minhyun made sure that his arms were wound around Jaehwan securely enough to hold him in place, but loosely enough for Jaehwan to have an option of freeing himself.

But before long, the younger finally melted against him, prompting Minhyun to close his eyes in utter relief, especially when he realized that the smell of Jaehwan's fear has started to dissolve, too.

He waited a few more moments, letting their bodies meld against each other, and letting Jaehwan's scent soothe him before he thoughtlessly murmured, "You're okay, Jaehwan-ah..." 

It was only dawning on him that since the omega passed out earlier, Jaehwan has not really shown any sign of how the encounter with Youngjae affected him.

"I was so scared, hyung" Jaehwan mumbled against Minhyun's shoulder, "He looked like he wanted to—"

"Sssshh," the older shushed; not wanting Jaehwan to rehash the unfortunate events of earlier and not wanting to remember it himself. "It's okay. You're okay now," Minhyun recited it over and over again, all the while thinking, _"So this was how it felt like,"_  as he rubbed soothing patterns on the younger's back.

 _This was how it felt like;_  having Jaehwan inside his embrace, Minhyun mused.

He's imagined and daydreamed this way too many times before, that he had to mentally tell himself to get a grip because this was all happening. That he wasn't dreaming. That it was truly Jaehwan's heart he could feel beating against his; beating _with_ his.

Jaehwan felt so small, so fragile, and so _right_ in his arms. And his omega scent (despite the traces of sandalwood) smelled so good that without him knowing, Minhyun has bowed his head to bury his nose on Jaehwan's shoulder, inhaling deeply to his wolf's content.

But Jaehwan stiffened, extracting himself from inside Minhyun's arm with a gentle push; his face painting a picture of confusion. "Did you just—"

The younger's face made Minhyun's stomach sink as he also realized what he'd so carelessly done. He didn't Jaehwan to think him no different from Youngjae and there was nothing he could do but offer a quick apology with his.

"I'm so sorry," Minhyun sighed as a strong feeling of self-deprecation rose in his throat. "I didn't mean to— I hope you know that I'm not the bad guy here, Jaehwan-ah," he added desperately.

"I know that... I wasn't—"

"Look," Minhyun said abruptly, running a hand through his hair, before rubbing it over his face in weariness and defeat. "I just wanted to know and see for myself that you're fine. And I also wanted to thank you. On behalf of Sujin noona also."

"No, please. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time."

"And I hope you weren't," Minhyun said. "Not because I couldn't care less about noona. I love her but—"

And Jaehwan was supposed to ask what he meant by that, but the older continued as if he doesn't realize what his words could imply.

"But I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to both you and noona..." Minhyun admittef softly & carefully. "And I still wish..." he confessed, choosing his words. "I wish I'd arrived sooner."

And Jaehwan was left not knowing what to think and how to feel about all of this.

"You are marked with Youngjae's scent, Jaehwan-ah," Minhyun chuckled bitterly, biting back the next words that Jaehwan never has to hear him say out loud. _"And it's driving me crazy with jealousy to smell another alpha on you."_

"I would get rid of it if I could," Jaehwan whispered softly with a frown and a shrug.

 _And I would gladly mark you with my scent instead if you'll let me,_ Minhyun thought, calling himself foolish immediately afterwards for considering that a possibility.

But suddenly, Jaehwan's eyes slightly widened as if he heard; as if he had just conceived the same idea himself.

And Minhyun knew, looking at the younger, that the idea was being examined, turned over, weighed, and pondered on inside Jaehwan's mind also. Yet Minhyun couldn't believe it; that Jaehwan and himself could be thinking of the same thing at that moment.

Hwang Minhyun scent marking Kim Jaehwan. _Holy shit._

In perfect synchronization, they captured and held each other's gaze with their pupils blown into these huge orbs of darkness, that searched each other's eyes for... more. For something. And it should be awkward. But it wasn't. It was comforting. Familiar. Honest. Almost... _intimate._

The alpha in Minhyun started to get a little impatient, and maybe that was where the boldness came from. But next thing he realized, with trembling lips, he was saying, "If you need me to... I could—"

And only then did it register; that he could end up just embarassing himself. But does it matter, if there was the slightest possibility for Jaehwan to take him up on it? If Jaehwan would be alright with wearing Minhyun's scent around? 

Everyone knew that scent marking did not always imply the same thing it did when that asshole Youngjae scent marked Jaehwan. Families and friends could do it, too, but it was still something that required a huge amount of trust & intimacy between two people.

And that is why Minhyun didn't know how to complete his sentence.

But he thankfully didn't have to, because Jaehwan has already made up his mind with a whispered, "Please..."

And Minhyun could have missed it from how small Jaehwan's voice was, if it weren't for Jaehwan's eyes echoing the same request. _Please._

_No fucking way._

The already-charged atmosphere zinged, making sparks errupt between them as comprehension dawned on them both.

And suddenly, there was no more need for more words; they didn't need any more answers or explanations.

Neither of them had to know who moved first, too. The next thing they were both aware of, was Jaehwan being backed up against the nearest wall, his arms around the alpha, his hands clutching at the fabric of Minhyun's shirt, his neck bared. For Minhyun.

And the older's chest rumbled in a growl of triumph and satisfaction, as he all too quickly & willingly obliged to the younger's small plea.

With the patience of the sun creeping up the horizon, Minhyun brought his head down with his eyes closed, to rub his cheek slowly but thoroughly against Jaehwan's. His wounded hands were trembling where they were laid flat against the wall beside Jaehwan's head.

"Jaehwan-ah..." he whispered desperately, barely holding himself together. He could get drunk from just the omega's scent, he swore inside his head. _Jesus Christ._

Jaehwan was in his arms, warm, trusting, pulling him close, and asking to be scent marked by him. And if this wasn't heaven, it sure felt too damn close.

Minhyun took a step to align his body with Jaehwan's, totally closing the distance between them. And over the drumming sound of his own pulse in his ears, he heard Jaehwan plead once again, "I want his scent gone, hyung. Please..."

And the alpha felt like he was going to combust from the chest outwards. Jaehwan smelled so good. Jaehwan felt so soft. His voice almost brought him to his knees and a whispered "Okay..." was all that Minhyun managed to say before he brought his head down to Jaehwan's neck, running his nose up and down the length of it.

And Minhyun thought if he could die at that moment, he would gladly move onto the afterlife if this was the last memory he could take with him—Jaehwan's hand was behind his neck, with the other at the back of his head. The fresh smell of daffodils filling all of his senses up and taking him to heights that he's never been before. The alpha in him savoring the sensation of Jaehwan's warm body pressed against his with an almost intoxicated manner.

Minhyun's entire body felt hot. His insides felt tense. His body hardened and he wanted to do more than what Jaehwan asked of him but he was not and he was _nothing_ like Jo Youngjae. He was not going to use being an alpha to get what wasn't for him to take. So he made sure he does not do anything that would otherwise make the omega uncomfortable (again).

Despite his wolf clamoring for more.

_Mark him. Claim him. Make him yours._

A possessive growl bubbled in Minhyun's throat, but his thoughts were silenced when he felt Jaehwan stir in his arms, lips grazing the top of his own head. (But it could just be his imagination.)

He still had his nose buried on Jaehwan's neck and he only needed to raise his head a bit so that his lips were in the same spot. And it took every bit of his self-control to not go there. Even if Jaehwan's pheromones filled the room, summoning the alpha instinct in Minhyun to dominate and own.

_Mine. Only mine._

*

Jaehwan could feel Minhyun's hot breath fanning over the juncture between his neck and shoulder, and he trembled at the warmth.

He was conscious of his own pheromones being released but he was helpless to do anything about it. Between resisting the urge to rub his cheek against the top of Minhyun's head like a kitten and resisting rubbing _himself_ all over Minhyun, he didn't have the energy to care.

He's never had his heart drum so loudly inside his chest; it would be a miracle if Minhyun didn't hear. His skin felt tight. His breaths were coming in short. And dammit all to hell. His body stirred. And shit, this is exactly how it feels like at the beginning of your heat. _My god._

Was Hwang freaking Minhyun sending him to heat?

He was still blushing deep red when Minhyun lifted his head from Jaehwan's shoulder to press their foreheads together. And Jaehwan had to keep himself from whining at the loss.

Only then did he notice that he was still clinging onto Minhyun and that they were both breathing heavily through their mouths; their breaths swirling together in the minimal space between their lips for what felt like the longest minute of his life.

With their height difference, Jaehwan registered that he only had to lift his head up a a few inches and he would have their mouths slotted against each other—an idea that his wolf was urging him on to put into action. An idea that didn't sound too ugly to his own ears.

"You're staring at my mouth," Minhyun panted, probably as affected by Jaehwan's pheromones as Jaehwan was by the alpha's scent. His voice cut through the silence, eyes falling shut, with his hands now balled into fists beside Jaehwan's head.

Jaehwan couldn't think clearly. Who could, when you skin & bones, veins & nerves were crying for more? More of Minhyun. More than this physical contact.

_Be his._

"I—I'm..." Jaehwan stuttered, prying his hands away from where he had them wound around Minhyun's neck somewhere along the process of the alpha scent marking him. "I just..."

"It's okay, Jaehwan-ah," Minhyun whispered, lifting his forehead from the younger's, and finally pushing himself away a little too tersely, bursting the bubble they were in.

How was he so calm and controlled when Jaehwan was a mess of emotions and sensations inside?

Minhyun surprised the younger when he took a second to right Jaehwan's clothes as if it was such a normal and natural thing for him to do. And Jaehwan almost didn't want any more of the fondness and intimacy that was coming from only he could guess where. He wanted to cry from the assault of all these emotions.

"Noona will have my head if I don't leave now..." Minhyun said with a voice steady but tense, as he stepped further away and completely out of Jaehwan's personal space.

"Hyung..." Jaehwan called out softly & helplessly, missing the warmth of Minhyun's body already.

_No. Stay._

But in contrast to his pleading tone, he could not move a muscle. He sagged against the wall. Buzzed. And in a frenzy of omega pheromones that was suspiciously as plenty as whenever he goes into heat.

But his mind wasn't fuzzy enough to find consolation at how Minhyun looked like he wanted to do or say something else when once again, as if on cue, the school bell rang.

It prompted Minhyun to give the frazzled omega a curt nod before he exited the infirmary, leaving Jaehwan to his own thoughts. Smelling like Minhyun, cold, and lonely. Like the devastation of a forest after a thunderstorm. 

=====

Jaehwan has always known that Minhyun was popular all over the campus but the realization of just how much didn't hit him until he started noticing the stink eyes that betas and omegas alike have been throwing his way that week a.k.a. the week in which Minhyun's scent was strong & heavy on Jaehwan's skin.

_How did they even pick out and recognize Minhyun's scent?_

Jaehwan felt a slice of jealousy at considering that maybe these people might have been some of Minhyun's bedmates or lovers in the past. He made a face to himself and felt his appetite for lunch slowly dissipating.

He has no claim on Minhyun whatsoever. He has to remind himself of that repeatedly. With Jisung's help.

Jisung was the only one who knew everything and Jaehwan was grateful that his beta friend had promised, "I'll take care of telling Daniel so he doesn't up and confront Minhyun if that's what you want."

He scanned the cafeteria and looked for an empty table with his food tray in his hands. When he found one near the corner, he quickly walked over it, making sure to look straight ahead lest he collide gazes with one of Minhyun's... whoever they may be to Minhyun.

He began placing his tray on top of the table, depositing his bag to the floor, seating himself comfortably, and then plugging his earphones onto his phone then his ears. He could use some distraction.

He made sure his back was facing the room and that he was facing the wall because he almost could not survive the too meaningful glances being exchanged between friends who might have caught wind of the fact that junior omega Kim Jaehwan was scent marked by senior alpha Hwang Minhyun.

His temple throbbed at the reminder of it all. How complicated the situation was, how drunk in pheromones Minhyun and himself might have been, how messy everything was, now that what's done is done.

Jaehwan hated the whispers. The eyebrows raised. The judgmental stares. The unimpressed looks. The probably wrong assumptions.

He sighed at the food tray in front of him, hoping he'd have the appetite enough to keep his lunch down today. His energy seems to have all been spent trying to brush it all off and consciously willing himself to not care. Not that it worked.

On top of that, the omega in him had been on edge from noticing that the smell of mint & pine trees have almost completely dissolved, along with the bliss, comfort, and weird sense of home that came with it.

Jaehwan snapped out of his own daze and eyed his food distastefully at the realization that his lunch had grown cold from all the time he wasted on introspection. A waste of food and a waste of time.

He let out a deep, long, sigh and was naturally startled when his earphone was plucked out of his right ear.

He located the hand of the culprit and let his eyes run upwards the arm to realize that the owner of said hand was Kang Daniel.

Jaehwan bowed his head and knew that there was no way he can skirt around the dreaded topic with Daniel now.

"Hey—" he protested, trying to reach for his earphones which his friend has now began putting inside the pocket of his jeans after unplugging it out of Jaehwan's phone.

"Since when did you start wearing earphones during lunch?" Daniel asked, situating himself across the older with a look which told Jaehwan that there were more questions to come.

Jaehwan shrugged. "Since Minhyun's unofficial harem caught his scent on me and I've become the school's most hated. I don't seem to fit the mold of those they deem deserving to be scent marked by Hwang Minhyun The Great." A humorless, nervous laugh escaped his lips.

Daniel shook his head; face taking a hard expression. "Are any of them bothering you?" His scent saturated the air and Jaehwan realized that his friend's mood has taken a dark turn.

"I— No, I'm okay..." Jaehwan answered, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Daniel was probably going to ask him the blow by blow of everything; of why and how he was scent marked by Minhyun.

"Really, it's not that serious," Jaehwan said, trying to sound nonchalant, and unconsciously laying a hand on top of his friend who was probably barely keeping his platonic protective insticts at bay.

The alpha visibly relaxed. He stared intently at Jaehwan, probably trying to gauge the level of honesty the omega was handing him out when another hand shot out of nowhere prying Jaehwan's hand from Daniel's.

=====

"Hyung!" Jaehwan cried. "What in the world?!" he twisted his arm free of Minhyun's grasp.

Minhyun let him go and Jaehwan could only nurse his bruising forearm as he watched the older check if the hallways were clear, before locking them in.

The alpha has not spoken a word since he's pried Jaehwan's hand off of Daniel's and dragged him by the wrist outside the cafeteria, and then to this empty classroom.

"What's wrong with you?!" Jaehwan bellowed at the alpha, cradling his wrist close to his chest.

Minhyun walked up to him and reached for his wrist.

Jaehwan made to shrink away but the slowness and gentleness in the older's movements and expression held him still.

"Did I hurt you?" Minhyun said turning Jaehwan's wrist over, forehead wrinkled in worry.

"It—It's fine," Jaehwan said as Minhyun let his hands fall to his sides. "I'm fine," the omega repeated. "But clearly, _you_ aren't," he accused, still a bit on edge and frustrated.

"What does that mean?" Minhyun asked, face contorted into an expression of genuine confusion.

Jaehwan scoffed, "I should be the one who gets to ask questions. I'm not the one who appeared out of nowhere, acting all alpha, grabbing my arm, and dragging me here without a word! Neither Daniel nor I did anything to warrant your rude attitude!"

"And who is Daniel to you?" Minhyun asked, keeping his calm despite the younger's temper. It must be Jaehwan's scent having its usual soothing effect on him.

"A friend!" Jaehwan said, exasperated. "Something that you should start acting like now, instead of being so goddamn confusing!"

"Jaehwan-ah, I—"

"No. Please hear me out first, hyung," Jaehwan held up a hand to stop Minhyun, eyes hard and lips set in a frown.

There goes Minhyun's first attempt to calm Jaehwan down because, at least, from his lens, the situation was not as serious as Jaehwan was starting to make it out to be.

It was just Minhyun finally deciding to succumb to the inevitable and admit the not-so-unthinkable. That liked Jaehwan. To bits. And he wasn't about to stand around and watch the omega that his wolf already decided to be _his_ , wrap his long dainty fingers around another alpha's hand.

_Oh, okay. So maybe it does sound serious._

But in the meantime, Minhyun let his interest be piqued by this high-handed side of Jaehwan which he never knew about, and which did nothing to lessen his fondness over the omega.

If anything, it only made him more curious. How many more sides of Jaehwan has he yet to witness? How many more sides of Jaehwan will the omega himself let him see? If Jaehwan will let him in—or, at least, close enough to look.

Okay, Minhyun would admit he was out of line; acting out of sheer jealousy when he strode over to where Jaehwan had his hand on Daniel's. But here they were now; the fire in Jaehwan's eyes making Minhyun shiver in... excitement.

He didn't know anyone could look so damn good when furious. And Jaehwan smelled so good; his scent a resemblance of spring showers. Grasslands. Wildflowers. Passion. Restraint.

"Fine," Jaehwan backpedaled; still releasing wave after anxious wave of heat. "I admit I played a part in making this all so confusing, too, but you've done nothing but pester me for two years, and now you're doing a complete one-eighty!" Jaehwan pointed out, his body coiled in one ball of barely-contained tension.

He was slightly aware that his scent must be as strong as this onslaught of emotions he was experiencing but he couldn't care less how it would affect Minhyun because he was so full of all these overwhelming & confusing thoughts that all he could be bothered to think about is getting to the bottom of all... these.

And Minhyun was decided to let him.

"I'm sorry, ok?" Jaehwan said sincerely with a shake of his head, as if he was disappointed at more at himself now, than Minhyun. "About last time... I shouldn't have asked you to scent mark me. We aren't... I'm not your..."

And their gazes collided. Held. For a breathless moment. Magnetic. Electric.

And Jaehwan had to shake some focus back to his brain because those soft, brown eyes were looking right through him with almost just enough fondness to disarm him. _Damn those beautiful eyes and that handsome face!_

So Jaehwan had no choice but to shift his gaze at the wall beside Minhyun's head before saying, "What I'm trying to say is that we have got to stop exchanging mixed signals."

A short pause of Jaehwan realizing that Minhyun was staying put and letting him release all these pent up thoughts and emotions like a dam ensued, and then he mustered all the courage he had to continue. "I have become this school's public enemy because many people have smelled your scent on me so I'm already having a hard time as it is. Meaning, you can't just barge in on my conversation with my friend then manhandle me into going here then acting all concerned about my freaking wrist because if I didn't know any better, I would think that you... like... me. That way."

Jaehwan swung to face the wall, not wanting to see the look of rejection or digust on Minhyun's face that he didn't know wasn't there. So he said his next words over his shoulder, his back facing Minhyun. "I'm sorry to dump this all on you, hyung. I just needed to let it all out before... before I let you break my heart."

"Wait— _What_?"

Minhyun's exclamation fell into deaf ears.

"You..." Jaehwan proceeded, "You have a bad habit of making me forget things, hyung. You make me forget that you are Hwang Minhyun. My sunbae. My neighbor of two years. Bringing men and women over to have a night of... sexy fun regardless of whether you're in a rut or not." His tone had gone a pitch higher at the effort to sound unaffected but at least he tried. "You make me forget... myself. And all I become so consumed of is... you. Your scent. Wanting you. Needing you. Wanting to be wanted by you."

"Kim Jaehwan..." Minhyun sighed the omega's name. It was the only thing that he could force past his lips as reality hit him.

Jaehwan wanted him back. Probably as much as he wanted the omega. _Holy shit._

The alpha in Minhyun howled in victory, while he internally pumped his fist in celebration. He'll let Jaehwan say his piece and when he's finally done, Minhyun will show the younger that it doesn't have to be so damn complicated. That this bond they (unofficially) shared had been all that has kept Minhyun going; kept Minhyun from straying away, or staying away too far for too long; kept him from spending his ruts with any other beta or omega. Kept him from knotting anyone. Or sharing any real kind of intimacy with anyone. One that was beyond just sex.

Hwang Minhyun was no saint but there were precious parts of himself, too, that he was subconsciously saving for Kim Jaehwan. _His omega._

But for now, his view was of (his) Jaehwan swinging back to face him, with agony painted all over his face. And all that Minhyun wanted to do was to wipe it off of the younger's face so he could see the omega's warm, cheeky smile that could light up this room, as much as it could light up the farthest, darkest, dustiest corners of Minhyun's heart.

"Is this it?" Jaehwan asked in that tone that didn't really seem to expect an answer, ignoring Minhyun entirely. "Is this how you woo betas and omegas alike into your bed? Build some sexual tension with some harmless teasing. Make sure you've left your mark. Figuratively. Then turn a new leaf and mix in wholesome emotions into the dynamics with some protectiveness in the equation. Then continue sending mixed signals until you're convinced they're convinced that you're into them? Is this your move? Because.. it really could work. It almost did. At least, for me."

And the gravity of Jaehwan's words threw all of Minhyun's out the window. _Okay, this is where it gets tricky. We're going historical._

Minhyun acknowledged that it hadn't been evident how desperately he was holding out for Jaehwan the past two years. And he would not be surprised if that was going to be something that might be a source of Jaehwan's insecurity. But he was was determined to give Jaehwan any kind of assurance he needed so that the younger knew without a doubt that it was going to be just him now.

It didn't intimidate Hwang Minhyun because he has never been as sure about anything in his life as Kim Jaehwan being destined to be his mate. He knew there would have to be talks and unsolicited grovelling and some proving to do but he was so damn ready and even excited to do just that.

To be completely honest, Minhyun had thought that Jaehwan finally figured it all out; figured him out. How far from reality that was. Kim Jaehwan was the most unassuming, dense, complicated omega that Minhyun has ever met. Also the most beautiful, most irresistible, most pure-hearted.

He had all these pleasant superlatives inside his head and he couldn't wait to drill them into Jaehwan's stubborn little head.

_For forever._

But for this moment, Minhyun was content to watch his omega go on and on, spouting all these at him.

He memorized the peculiar way Jaehwan's lips curled and pouted; engraved to memory the fiery glint in Jaehwan's eyes; and impressed upon his heart the smell of baby's breaths & daffodils.

Minhyun easily maintained his light mood now that his wolf has fully-absorbed the fact that his omega was, in his own weird, wordy, whimsical way, letting him know that he wants him back. Has always wanted him.

But Jaehwan was still going at it. "It is not everyday I hold out for someone; spending years hoping this crush would go away before it progresses into some... genuine attraction while he—" he gestured towards Minhyun with flailing arms, "—while _you_ give me nothing but your pettiness the first two years and now your neanderthal-slash-caveman instict to claim and mark your territory without any explanation whatsoever. Hell, I don't even know how and when and where it happened but one day, I just woke up and realized that... that I..."

Minhyun had to bite his lip to keep himself from smiling. Oh, Jaehwan's so gonna get this so-called explanation later. "That you _what_?" the alpha asked with a cocked eyebrow, and with arms crossed over his chest.

"Are you making fun of me?" Jaehwan asked in exasparation, chest heaving.

Minhyun just pursed his lips, letting a barely-there smile creep up his face as he spread his arms and beckoned Jaehwan to come closer with a quick nod of the head. "C'mere, you."

He was waiting for Jaehwan to put two with two when the younger grunted out loud in frustration, making Minhyun realize that he actually had to he spell it out for the omega.

"Okay, _yes_. Maybe I am making fun of you," Minhyun sang. "Because I didn't know that you," he took a step towards Jaehwan with a sly smile, "Could be soooooo... slow. My clueless little dolphin."

Jaehwan had an incredulous look on his face. Clueless. Cute. _So fuck it._ Minhyun's just going to go ahead and say it.

"It's the same for me, _omega_."

The older's words—being called _omega_ by Minhyun—sent a chill down Jaehwan's spine and he wanted to call bullshit. Maybe it was a prank. Maybe it was a joke. Minhyun must be kidding.

But Minhyun's eyes betray him and those beautiful, brown orbs were conveying the same sentiment, affection, and desire that Jaehwan had been trying to keep at bay the past two years.

_Impossible._

"I would prepare a grand speech or a sweet declaration but I wasn't initially planning on this when I dragged you here. I just—" Minhyun ducked his head to hide the blush he knew would come at his admission, "All I know is I wanted you to stop looking at your friend the way I wanted you to look at me..."

"I swear to all that's holy, Minhyun hyung, that if this is some sort of joke to you—"

The next thing Jaehwan knew, Minhyun's hand was behind his neck while the older's free arm was wrapped around his waist pulling him flush against all that alpha warmth and strength.

And then right at his left ear, Minhyun whispered, "I will mark you right here, right now if you need any proof. And I'm not talking about scent marking, Kim Jaehwan..."

With every word, Minhyun's lips grazed the lobe of Jaehwan's ear and all the younger could do as he collided with a truckload of his own emotions was to gasp at the realness of it all.

So he just hung his head and let his forehead rest against Minhyun's shoulder. In surrender.

_Finally._

He breathed in Minhyun's scent and his wolf purred in delight, taking over.

Without any hesitation now, Jaehwan let his arms snake around and up Minhyun's back so that his hands were cupping the blades of Minhyun's shoulder as he tiptoed slightly to do his own scent marking of the alpha with a small desperate whine.

"You are not allowed to change your mind now, ok?" Jaehwan said, tightening his arms around the older, almost possessively.

And when Minhyun realized what Jaehwan had so boldly done, he engulfed the omega in a bear hug that almost lifted the younger off of the ground, more than glad to be marked as Kim Jaehwan's.

Minhyun laughed out an, "I couldn't change my mind even if I tried, baby."

For now, this was enough. He would be patient. Willing to go as slow as Jaehwan needed.

The wait would be torture. The wait would be so fucking delicious. 

He may be the alpha here, but he was wholly, irrevocably, devotedly at Jaehwan's mercy.

But still he couldn't wait for the day when he finally and officially marks Kim Jaehwan as his omega. For everyone to see.

Because dammit, Jaehwan and him didn't spend the last two years warring with themselves for nothing. It's about freaking time they won.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is Rated [M] and please read the first two chapters first.

Something about the shrill sound of the ringtone which Minhyun set for Jaehwan sounded urgent. As if the call was begging to be answered. And looking at his screen flashing his pet name for his omega made him feel scared, excited, and anxious all at the same time. For reasons he didn't know.

They were not yet officially mated and the wait had been indeed long and torturous as he had expected but Minhyun was neurotically excited—reasonably and understandbly so.

He did commit to wait for as long as Jaehwan wanted to but recently, Minhyun has begun getting disgruntled from the long wait. This is why he felt deep in his gut that the time was nearing for them to consummate their bond as mates and him to mark Jaehwan as his omega.

His ruts have also begun hitting him more

frequently and Jaehwan's scent have become some sort of aphrodisiac these past few weeks. The usual calming and soothing sensations that wash over him whenever he smelled the daffodils and baby's breaths off of Jaehwan have been replaced by a clawing need to feel all of Jaehwan against him and around him. It made him edgy... and horny.

But because he knew Jaehwan wanted to take things slow, they've only ever kissed despite being eight months into their relationship already.

"You decide how far we could go..." Minhyun doesn't fail to promise this to Jaehwan everytime they get caught up in the moment and it seemed like they were one second away from tearing each others' clothes off. And whenever the alpha draws apart to take a second of breather to assure Jaehwan that he could call the shots, the omega would always give him a look of awe and wonder and admiration; knowing that he could trust his alpha. That Minhyun would never want to do anything Jaehwan might be uncomfortable with. And each time, the older's chest would swell with love, pride, and potectiveness.

_His omega._

During Jaehwan's omega heats though, Minhyun still made sure the coast was clear of other unmated alphas, and would stay on the phone with the younger; saying calming & soothing words as he put his entire faith and trust on his self-control, the wall that separated his dorm and Jaehwan's, and the hinges and locks on the omega's doors.

But kissing Jaehwan was... well, there didn't appear to be a single word that could encompass how it actually felt when they were kissing. It was incomparable—the butterflies that go rioting in his tummy, the static electricity that makes him buzz and tingle all over, and the stars that explode beneath his eyelids, the adrenaline, the pheromones, the insane heat and the urge to dominate and claim.

Of course, it only spiked his libido and his possessiveness over the omega when Jaehwan confessed how no one's ever kissed him before. It was unbelievable at first even, but if Jaehwan's urgent and sloppy kisses were anything to go by, Minhyun would be wise to believe him. Besides, what could Jaehwan gain from making something such as that up? Was Minhyun in any position to doubt or complain about the clumsy way that Jaehwan kissed when it always pushed him past his self-control limit everytime? No, he really wasn't.

He didn't mind that their front teeths would sometimes clink together and that Jaehwan would never know where to put or what to do with his hands.

Minhyun, though at the edge of an explosive need everytime things got heated and physical between himself and Jaehwan, still had the state of mind to notice that the younger always needed to gingerly clutch on something whenever they kissed. It could be the fabric of Minhyun's shirt or Minhyun's hair, which always drove the older wild and desperate, and it always left Minhyun to wonder...

How tactile could Jaehwan get when they're in bed? Will he dig his fingers on his back as the older slides inside Jaehwan's warmth? Will he clutch on the sheets when Minhyun knots him? Will the omega scratch down his back with his beautiful fingers as he came?

It was on the fifth ring that Minhyun was pulled out of his own thoughts and back to reality, to answer Jaehwan's call.

"Baby?"

Silence.

"Jaehwanie, are you there?"

A high-pitched keening sound that could only be Jaehwan whining, followed by some heavy breathing, came through the receiver.

_Shit._

"H-hyung," Jaehwan panted from the other end of the line. "It's... time."

And Jaehwan should not have had to elaborate or explain because the younger told the alpha earlier that week anyways that he was expecting his heat to hit him in a few days. But right now, Minhyun's brain had begun malfunctioning because he couldn't help but think that his Jaehwanie was also hinting on wanting to spend his heat with Minhyun this time. For the first time.

_Holy fuck. Is it really happening?_

"Minhyun hyung," Jaehwan said, sounding pained and hurried.

"Y-Yes, baby?" Minhyun stuttered dumbly, tightening his hold of the phone.

"It h-hurts, please--"

And the line went dead.

=====

Minhyun has barely made it past the threshold between the hallway and Jaehwan's dorm when a tangle of arms pulled him inside, slammed the door close, and came around his shouders all in three seconds tops.

"Hyung," Jaehwan murmured as he run his nose up and down Minhyun's neck; his breaths coming heavily through his mouth, dampening his alpha's neck with moist heat. "Minhyun hyung..." he repeated. Almost like a prayer. Like saying his alpha's name was his salvation.

And maybe it was. Maybe Minhyun was his salvation from this furnace of heat that was burning his insides. Maybe Minhyun was the icy water to this scalding pain. Maybe Minhyun was the calm to this storm of sensations that had Jaehwan's flesh crying out for not just any kind of contact, but for his alpha to be close. To hold him. To consume him. To mark him and to mate with him.

And Minhyun couldn't do anything but stand there as Jaehwan's pheromones assaulted all of his senses, even as the omega had started kissing, sucking, and downright lapping on his neck as if he needed the taste of Minhyun thick on his palate.

"J-Jaehwanie," Minhyun groaned, a slave to his own nature. "Baby, slow down..."

And at the alpha's plea, Jaehwan retreated quickly to the other side of the room, as if there was a string with one end attached to the farthest wall and the other end attached to Jaehwan and some unknown force yanked the younger to get away from Minhyun as farthest and soonest as possible. As if Minhyun's words physically pushed him off and away. As if it hurt.

They didn't, really. What physically hurt for Jaehwan was having to restrain himself and having to slow down as his alpha suggested.

He knew he was in heat and he knew he (finally) wanted to spend his heat with Minhyun; wanted to mate, but this delirious state he was in, now that Minhyun and the smell of pine trees had entered the room, was messing with his self-control and making him more desperate than he's ever been for his alpha. Lust was wrapped around him like a second skin; and he was only half-aware of his own omega pheromones affecting Minhyun but he couldn't seem to retrieve some humane level of restraint.

Jaehwan shrank onto himself as he slid down the wall to curl up in a ball on the floor, conscious of the thin sheen of sweat covering his whole body. "I'm s-sorry. It's the--" he gasped, trembling from desire.  _"It hurts."_

The alpha was overly conscious of his omega's pheromones permeating the atmosphere of the room but his worry over Jaehwan tramples every other emotion. Even the lust. Even if all he wanted to do was straddle Jaehwan on the floor, rip every article of clothing from both their bodies, and mate with him right then and there, if only to ease the almost barbaric level of arousal in his bloodstream and help Jaehwan with his grave physical & sexual misery.

But dear God, he loved Kim Jaehwan so fucking much that if he misinterpreted it all and that Jaehwan wasn't actually ready yet, he could and he would actually zip out of here to give his omega the space and time to make it through his heat.

But now, Minhyun stood there with hands balled into fists as if his control was something tangible that he could keep in his hands; fighting to regain control over himself. And it was the sound of a desperate whimper escaping Jaehwan's lips that kicked the alpha back into functioning and into motion.

Minhyun padded slowly and very carefully towards Jaehwan, shedding his shoes, his socks, and his jacket aside as his own body temperature rose. Naturally so, and as expected of any young, unmated alpha within close proximity to an omega in heat. And not just any omega.  _ His omega . _

"Baby?" Minhyun spoke softly, gulping and trying not to breathe through his nose, as he approached Jaehwan who was still on the floor, "I'm going to hold you, and bring you to your room, okay?" His breaths have become slow, deep, and heavy also, he noted, along with the icky feeling of sweat that has caused his sleeveless undershirt to stick to his chest and back.

In response, Jaehwan made a sound of assent in his throat, as if he did not even have the strength and the state of mind to utter a word.

So Minhyun knelt down and swooped Jaehwan in his arms while the younger looped his arms around his alpha's neck, running his nose all over the older's neck and chest again, getting as big a dose as possible of the earthy, alpha scent of Minhyun that seemed to be the only thing that could douse this heat. Although only minimally, it still worked like magic. 

With the almost dead weight of Jaehwan in his arms, Minhyun stumbled towards the door to Jaehwan's bedroom, pushing it open with a shoulder and laying Jaehwan softly on the bed.

He was about to straighten up to make sure the doors were locked when Jaehwan pulled him down with a strength that was probably charged with pheromones. It was a strength that Jaehwan never exhibited before. And it turned Minhyun on. 

_Fuck._

"Stay," Jaehwan murmured against Minhyun's neck, followed by a moan that vibrated in his throat as he lustfully dragged his lips over and across his alpha's lips. His hands were clutching on Minhyun's undershirt, keeping him from moving an inch farther than where he wanted him.

The older's eyes widened in surprise as he held himself over Jaehwan with hands pressed against the bed beside the omega's head and one knee on the bed, when Jaehwan's tongue darted out to lick on his already-wet lips, asking for entrance.

And Minhyun didn't have it in him to deny Jaehwan the entry. He succumbed as he opened his mouth in a long, deep moan. "Ahhh..."

Minhyun's wolf was howling in bliss but he kept himself still; hovering over Jaehwan and letting the younger explore every nook, cranny, surface and crevice of his mouth with his hot, wet tongue. They were already impossibly near, Minhyun noted as his hands balled into fists, clenching on the bedsheet. But he wanted Jaehwan to take it at his own pace and not bite off more than he can chew. He was shaking at the effort of keeping his self-control intact despite the assault of an undiluted dosage of Jaehwan's scent but he still wanted to make sure that Jaehwan was a hundred percent sure. Ready.

"Are you--" Minhyun began after lifting his head for a second, but was cut off when the omega wrapped a leg around his thigh, pulled his alpha closer and gave a delicious rub of his torso and hips all over Minhyun's. "Jaehwan-ah..." he dragged the words out in a low moan.

_Are you sure about this?_ was what Minhyun wanted to ask but Jaehwan didn't seem to need him to finish the question.

The answer was clear.

"Hyung," Jaehwan rasped, tightening his arms around the alpha's neck, "Please, hmmm?" He  couldn't  seem to stop his hips from grinding against Minhyun's. "Please..."

And Minhyun didn't have it in him to say "No" to Jaehwan even if he tried.

=====

The rays of the morning sunlight pierced through the curtains and through Minhyun's eyelids. It was the first thing he became aware of—that it was already morning.

The second thing was of Jaehwan tossing and turning beside him, hands patting around the bed until they landed on Minhyun's bare chest. And then the younger was inching closer to bury himself and rub his nose all over Minhyun's chest again, causing the older to jolt to full awakedness again within seconds.

The third thing was of Jaehwan's state of  not  being entirely asleep, if the omega's wandering hands were anything to go by. There was also the telltale mixture of his omega scent and pheromones in the bedroom's atmosphere still, infiltrating Minhyun's senses so that he was ready to take his omega once again if Jaehwan so only hinted on it.

Jaehwan was still in heat. That much was obvious by the way that the younger has his head tipped up, lips open and seeking Minhyun's while his long, beautiful fingers were scratching gently down the older's back, making Minhyun's body come alive.

Minhyun lifted a hand first to brush away the strands of hair that were sticking to Jaehwan's forehead, and next to draw his omega's face upwards so that their lips could slot against each other's with ease, and with a closeness that echoed the intimacy which they shared last night... from evening until about four in the morning.

Minhyun could still vividly recall how insatiable his omega was and for the love of everything that was holy, all Minhyun could do was give Jaehwan everything the younger begged for.

The first time was tense & delicious, with Jaehwan taking the lead while Minhyun could only lie in the middle of the bed, drunk in Jaehwan's scent and pheromones.

"You have to slow down, baby," Minhyun remembered pleading despite his throat which has tightened from an insane level of lust when, with quick, lithe fingers, Jaehwan has already begun unbuckling the older's belt, pulling Minhyun's pants down and off just five minutes in the omega's bedroom.

It was all going too fast, the alpha reckoned, but he was helpless against Jaehwan when his mind was clouded with nothing but the natural instinct of any unmated alpha who was naked with his chosen omega, moments away from mating.

Minhyun's wolf was clamoring for  it , and Jaehwan (being in heat) probably wouldn't mind giving  it but the older knew he had to restrain himself and internally vowed to give the younger the reins. At least, for this first time.

He will wait until Jaehwan asked. Verbally. Explicitly.

And much to his pleasant surprise, the omega was downright shameless asking for what he knew his own wolf wanted and needed.

"Hyung, undress me," Jaehwan whispered right at his ear after crawling up from between Minhyun's legs, still fully-clothed, even after he had taken Minhyun in his mouth to pleasure. _Will pleasuring their alphas help omegas in heat? Is that how it works?_ The answer was lost to Minhyun, especially when the younger then pushed himself up and sat on his knees, straddling the alpha's waist and waited (albeit a bit impatiently) as Minhyun shook himself into coherence. The alpha pushed himself up to do just as Jaehwan asked with trembling hands; body still sensitive to the ministrations of Jaehwan's lovely mouth & hands.

Minhyun could still remember the embarrassing groan that had escaped his lips from Jaehwan being on his lap, naked from the waist up, and grinding against his naked groin. "I want more," Jaehwan grunted, getting off his partner's lap to lie on the bed and pull Minhyun on top of him. "You can take it as far as you want, hyung," he said with eyes closed, head lolling from side to side as he felt Minhyun's warm torso shielding his from the coolness inside the room. "My alpha..."

"Mine," Minhyun couldn't help but growl before he dove in to pry Jaehwan's lips open with his own.

By the time that Minhyun was pulling all of Jaehwan's remaining clothes off, the younger was alread writhing and and moaning beneath him. Eyes screwed shut, hands on Minhyun's hair, chest heaving in exertion as his hips had began seeking friction again; bucking and lifting from the bed.

Minhyun was brought back to the present where he was kissing Jaehwan when he felt the younger lift a hand to entwine his fingers with Minhyun, before pulling their hands together downwards to where he craved to be touched the most.

"Jaehwanie," Minhyun sighed his omega's name as he pulled his lips from Jaehwan's even as his hand continued to venture lower until he had the stark evidence of the other's arousal in his fist.

"Please," the omega begged deliriously, as if he needed to be touched and as if Minhyun's fingers around him was his lifeline.

Jaehwan's back was towards the windows and from this angle, Minhyun discovered a little mole that the omega had at the base of his neck, near his left shoulder. And Minhyun hoped he didn't discover it because he didn't know that such a trivial thing could spike a different kind of lust in him.

Was it Jaehwan's omega scent thickly spread on his neck, or was it Jaehwan's soft milky skin? Minhyun doesn't know what it was exactly but he literally felt his pupils dilate as he zoomed in on that little mole all while his hand gently & slowly brought the omega back to the edge causing the younger to throw his head back in pleasure, eyebrows knit, mouth hanging open as soft little mewls & whimpers escaped him.

It also left that mole exposed and bared to Minhyun who had no choice but to tongue at the mole. First, kissing the mole softly until his tongue had began lapping at it and eventually, even wet, open-mouthed kisses didn't seem enough.

Jaehwan's hips were grinding against Minhyun's hand, pushing for his own release as lewd, loud noises escaped his lips unashamedly.

Minhyun wanted to mark Jaehwan. Needed to have something that will bind them together for all of eternity so he wasn't surprised when his wolf finally bared his fangs.

The atmosphere terse and desperate. They were both noisy and it was almost voyeour how quickly Minhyun's hands were pumping Jaehwan so when the younger bit out a strained, "Hyung, I can't... I'm gonna--" Minhyun ducked his head and finally marked Jaehwan as his forever omega; teeth sinking onto the skin.

=====

_"Oh my god,"_ Jisung gaped the second Jaehwan got close enough for the mark on his neck to be obvious to the older. "Oh my god, you're mated."

Jaehwan tried to keep the corner of his lips from being pulled up in a shy smile and though he (thinks he) succeeded, he could feel his neck, cheeks, and ears burning in embarrassment.

Minhyun chuckled beside the omega, mussing up his mate's hair fondly as he nodded an affirmation to Jisung's direction.

"And wow," the beta mused, "You're practically glowing." A cheesy smile was stretched across his own lips even while his eyes shone with a fatherly pride as he looked back and forth between the mated wolves in front of him. "Both of you. Wow."

"And your scent, like, improved," Daniel pointed out honestly, aware of how a muscle twitched in Minhyun's jaw at the comment. So he held up his hands and backed up a step even while a goofy smile was still on his lips, "Platonically, I mean, I platonically think Jaehwan smells better now."

Jaehwan giggled at his same-aged friend as Jisung reached out to give him a brotherly, congratulatory half-hug which he returned. Then he reached out to hold Minhyun's hand in his, squeezing it to self-soothe, and to which the alpha squeezed right back.

Daniel softly smiled at the view before him.

It was uncalled for for any wolf to disrespect the status of a mated wolf and Daniel hoped that that fact gave Jaehwan a bit of reassurance that with his new scent and the fresh stark evidence of his being mated to Hwang Minhyun decorating his neck, that all will be alright as time slowly ticks and grows kinder to them.

Daniel admits that it had been steadily doing just that since Minhyun entered Jaehwan's life and they may all have contested that at first, but with Minhyun's hand in Jaehwan's and a literal mark & promise of their forever,  _What could go wrong?_ Daniel wondered.

Now Jisung might disagree that there was a lot that could go wrong. Ever realistic. That starting a relationship was way easier than sustaining one but, Daniel thought, Jaehwan and Minhyun has already had eight months of bliss to build a strong, longer-lasting relationship from. And with the way the two in question were now looking at each other in a sickening lovey-dovey way, it would take probably another year for the novelty to wear off and by then, the two may have already been used to not just feeling love for each other, but used to choosing to love one another moment by moment.

Daniel couldn't wait to watch this story unfold before his very eyes. (When is it his turn?)

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so here it finally is, my friends. i'm sorry this took months but i had to write and re-write this a lot of times for the reason that i'm not actually a smut writer lol 
> 
> here are some adjectives i hope DOESN'T describe this bonus chapter:  
> \- half-assed  
> \- no feelings  
> \- trying hard  
> \- too explicit  
> \- too raunchy  
> \- detached from first two chapters
> 
> bcos i really TRIED to write it as beautifully and tastefully and effectively as i can :( it might not be evident but i swear i did so please be nice to me in the comments :( ily all and i hope the long wait was at least a teensie tiny bit worth it ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

**Author's Note:**

> this looked totally different when i started writing it istg haha i might insert some more flashbacks later because no matter what i do, the cut to the ending/confession always seems to abrupt for me. I REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THAT LMAO
> 
> please let me know what u think! let's talk on twitter, too, if y'all are there. im @choimineul on stan twt ;)
> 
> also would like to thank my stan twt minhwan fam for helping me as i limped through writing the ending for this and even pitched in some ideas for how jaehwan would smell like. fam, i made it. i crie. i finished it. love you all.


End file.
